Automatic train control



Aug. 3, 1937.

P. J. SIMMEN AUTOMATIG TRAIN CONTROL Filed June 15, 1928 Man/1410;

ATTORA/[y Patented Aug. 3, 1937 [TED STATES 2,t88,7tt

PATENT OFFIE assignments, to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 15, 1928, Serial No. 285,727

4 Claims.

This invention relates to railway train control apparatus and systems and particularly to that type of train control system in which there is provided both an automatic and a manual control of trains and more especially to such a system in which means are provided for indicating and recording train movements at a central station.

The subject of this invention is to provide signal protection for the movement of trains on a single track railway whereby a clear signal is displayed on the locomotive or by fixed signals along the trackway when the block ahead is clear and a danger signal when the block ahead is at danger,

by means of a track circuit; but in addition to the track circuit control, a danger signal may be displayed on the locomotive by the dispatcher, so that a train may be stopped at a siding to meet another train, even if the block ahead shows clear as determined by the track circuit. In

order for the dispatcher to intelligently display stop signals for meeting points for trains, it is necessary to know the location and progress of the several trains on the division. Heretofore in practice this information has been furnished generally by telegraph or telephone operators located at way stations along the road. This invention provides that an automatic record is made in the dispatchers oifice by the trains themselves, thus eliminating the need of such operators to report the progress of trains.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description of the invention progresses and the novel features will be particularly pointed i out in the appending claims.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawing wherein I have illustrated a preferred physical embodiment of my invention and wherein like characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic illustration of the apparatus and circuits in the dispatchers ofiice and along the track;

Fig. 2 illustrates the apparatus and circuits on the locomotive or car by which, with certain cooperating parts of Fig. 1 signals are displayed on the locomotive;

Fig. 3 is a modified form of the system as shown 50 by Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 shows a single track consisting of rails I and 2. Rail l is electrically continuous. Rail 2 is divided into sections by means of insulating joints as 3, thus dividing the track into block sections, as A, B, C, D, E. and, F, In blocks B, D

and F are shown sidings as 4, where the trains can meet and pass each other. At the clearance point of the sidings, insulating joints 3 electrically separate the straight portion of the siding from the main track. 5 designates a switch box, which when the switch is open, breaks a circuit passing through it; and when the switch is normal or closed, completes the circuit in the manner well known to those skilled in the art. A track battery as 6 is located at one end of each block and track relays as b, c. d, e, and, 1 near the other end of the block, constituting with their connections to the rails a track circuit well known to the art. Each track relay controls two armatures 1 and 8. When a track relay is energized, armature l closes a front contact 9 and armature 8 closes a front contact Ill and when a track relay is deenergized, front contacts 9 and I0 are broken, and armature 8 closes a back contact ll.

Adjacent to the track are located groups of train control rails as l2 and l3, l4 and i5 and I6 and I1 and I8 and I9. Train control rails l2 and I3 govern a westbound movement of a train as from block E into block D; train control rails l4 and I5 govern a westbound movement, as from block D into block C; train control rails l6 and I1 govern an eastbound movement as from block C into block D; and train control rails l8 and I9 govern an eastbound movement as from block D into block E. Train control rails for westbound movements are on one side of the center line of the track and train control rails for eastbound movements are on the other side of the centerline of the track. With this arrangement the train control rails are always on the right hand side as viewed by a person advancing in the direction in which the train is moving. In each group of two train control rails, one is the home train control rail and is located near the entrance to a new block and the other is a distant train control rail located approximately the braking distance from the entrance to the new block, thus train control rails I3, IS, IT, and 19 are home train control rails and train control rails l2, l4, l6, and H! are distant train control rails. These train control rails are of the usual construction, having inclined ends or ramps and are so located along the side of the track and insulated from the track that a contact shoe attached to the locomotive or car can make electrical contact with the same.

The four groups of train control rails 12 and l3, I4 and l5, l6 and I1, and IB and it, are all electrically controlled by a manually operated switch 20, in the dispatchers office. These four groups of train control rails are duplicated at each siding where trains may pass each other.

When a train control rail is charged with electrical energy, a clear signal is displayed on the locomotive and when a train control rail is deenergized, a danger signal is displayed on the locomotive. The electrical energy to charge the train control rails is furnished from a battery as 2|, located at .a dispatchers office and the circuit by which the four groups of train control rails are electrically charged is as follows: battery 2| in the dispatchers office, bus 22, contact spring 23, switch 20, wire 24, relay 25, line wire 26, to a terminal 2'|.and from this terminal 21 a branch circuit is completed to train control rails l2 and i3 as follows: terminal 21, wires 28 and 29, armature 8 of track relay d,

front contact I0, and wire 30, switch box'5 and Wire 3| to train control rails l2 and I3. A secs.

0nd branch circuit is also established'to train control rails 4 and I5 as follows: terminal 21, wires 28 and 32, armature 8 of track relay 0, front contact I0, and wire 33 to train control rails I4 and 5. Athird branch circuit is also established to train control rails. l6 and H as follows: terminal 21, wires 28 and 29, armature T of track relayd, front contact 9, wire 34 through switch x 5, and wire 35, to train control rails l6 and IT. A fourth branch circuit is also established to train control rails I8 and I9, as follows: Terminal 21, wire 38, armature 1 of track relay e, front contact 9, wire 31, to train control rails l8 and I9. It will thus be seen that when track relay '0, d and e are energized and switch boxes 5 are in their normal position closing the circuits, and switch 20 in the dispatchers ofiice is in contact with spring contact 23, thefour groups of train control rails are all charged with electrical energy and are therefore conditioned to give a clear signal on the locomotive, when the contact shoe on the locomotive'comes in contact with an energized train control rail.

I will now describe the apparatus and circuits on the locomotive capable of displaying a. clear signal when passing an energized train control rail and displaying a danger signal when a train control rail is deenergized andalso how either one or the other of the signals is continued after the locomotive has passed the train control rail.

In Fig. 2 is shown a signal G illustrating the clear signal and a signal R representing the danger signal. While these devices areshown as lamps, and are designated signals-I do not desire to exclude the thought that they may equally as well represent an electro-magnetic device to which motion is given depending upon whether the circuit is energized or deenergized and that such electro-magnetic devices may be used for other purposes than, or in addition to the display of signals to the engineer, such as the proper control of'speed control devices or electro-pneumatic air valves or both.

In Fig. 2 is shown an electric contact shoe 38, so positioned on the locomotive as. to make contact with train control rail 12, etc. The contact shoe is hinged at 39. The train control rails are inclined at the ends so as to form a ramp in the usual manner, siich-as is shown in my prior Patent No. 1,140,623, granted May 25, 1915, and when the contact shoe rslides along this ramp, the shoe is tilted soa's tobreak the contact 4D. This motion of the shoe compresses spring 4|. When'the con'tactshoe leaves the other end of the train control rail, spririgA-l forces the contact shoe to the normal position, thus making contact with contact 48. The locomotive also carries a relay 42 and a battery 43. The relay 42 controls an armature 44 and when the relay 42 is energized, armature 44 closes two front contacts 45 and 46, and when relay 42 is deenergized, armature 44 breaks front contacts 45 and 46 and closes a back contact 4?.

When the contact shoe 38 is passing train control rails I2 and I3, which are charged with electrical energy, a circuit is established through battery 2| in the dispatchers office as follows: one side of battery 2|, bus 22, spring contact 23, manually operated switch 28, wire 24, relay 25, line wire 28, terminal 21, wires 28 and 29, armature 8 of track relay D, front contact I8, wire 38, switch box 5, wire 3|, to train con- "trol rails I2 and |3, and thence from contact shoe 38, wire 48, relay 42, wires 49, 58 and 5| and 52, axle 53, wheel 54, to track rail and thence from track rail I through wire 55 to other side of battery 2|.

A similar circuit is established through battery 2| in the dispatchers oflice, when the locomotive is passing an'energized train control rail constituting one of the four groups, with the difference that the particular branch circuit from terminal 21 to a particular group is substituted, as hereinbefore described.

When contact shoe is in contact with an energized train control rail, relay 42, becomes energized and armature 44 makes contact with front contacts 45 and 46. This position of armature 44 closes the circuit through signal G as follows: battery 43, armature 44, front contact 45, 1

wire 56, signal G, wires 51, 58 and 58, to the other side of battery 43. When the contact shoe 38 leaves the other end of an energized train control rail, contact 40 again closes and a stick circuit is established through relay 42, which maintains the armature 44 in the same position as follows: battery 43, armature 44, front contact 48, wire '59, contact 40, contact shoe 38, wire 48, relay 42, wires 49, 50 and 58, to the other side of battery 43. It willthus be seen that signal G is continued after contact shoe 38 has left the train control rail, since armature 44 still makes contact with front contact 45.

When contact shoe is passing a deenergized train control rail, the stick circuit just described is opened at contact 48 and since there is no energy from the battery 2| in the dispatchers ofiice to keep relay 42 energized, armature 44 drops, breaks front contact 45 and 46 and closes back contact 41. This will break the circuit through signal G and a new circuit through signal R is established as follows: battery 43, armature 44, back contact 41, wire 60, signal R, wires 6|, 5| and 58, to the other side of battery 43.

When the contact shoe 38 leaves the other end of a deenergized train control rail, contact 48 of the stick circuit is again closed but the stick circuit through relay 42 is still inoperative, since front contact 46 of this circuit is now open, thus signal R is continued until a train control rail is reached which is energized. It will thus be seen that when a train is passing an energized train control rail, signal G, the clear signal, is displayed and this signal is continued until the next train control rail is reached, and when the train is passing a train control rail which is deenergized, signal R, the danger signal, is displayed and this signal is continued until the train is passing an energized train control rail.

Any appropriate or desired group of train con trol rails may be energized or deenergized so as to display the clear or the danger signal on the locomotive in three different ways:

Fir8t.By the dispatcher opening the switch 28 so as to disconnect it from spring contact 23, in which case all four groups related to any particular siding are deenergized.

Second-By the presence of a train in the block ahead, by means of a track circuit.

Third.-By the breaking of the circuit to any appropriate or desired group through switch box 5 when the switch is open. Fig. 1 shows open switch protection by means of switch box 5 for facing points only, thus only train control rails i2 and I3 and I6 and I! of the four groups have open switch protection, but turning point switch protection may equally as well be provided by taking wires 31 and 33 through the proper switch box 5 in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

The dispatcher by connecting manually operated switch 28 with spring contact 23 can display a clear signal to a train but this clear signal is annulled or made inoperative if there is a train in the block ahead; for instance, when there is a train in the block D, as shown in hatched lines, the energy from battery 2| in the dispatchers office can not reach train control rails I2 or l3 for the reason that front contact I of armature 8 of track relay D is broken. With a train in block D, the energy from track battery 6 is short circuited through wheels and axles of the train in .a manner well known to those skilled in the art. Therefore, track relay d is not sufficiently energized to maintain armatures I and 8 in the position with contacts 9 and I8, consequently these contacts are broken. When there is a train in block D, train control rails l6 and I! also become deenergized, since the circuit from the dispatchers office is now broken at front contact 9 of armature 1 of track relay (1. When there is a train in block C, train control rails I4 and I and I8 and I9, which guard the entrance to block C, from either end become similarly deenergized by reason of the breaking of front contacts 9 and ll! of track relay 0.

When there are no trains in the adjacent blocks and no open switches, the dispatcher may, nevertheless, display a danger or stop signal to a train if he so desires, by putting manually operated switch 28 in a vertical position, thus disconnecting it from spring contact 23. In this manner he may indicate to the engineer to stop and communicate with him or when a westbound train and an eastbound train approach block D,

he may beforehand open switch 28, governing is made in the dispatchers office of the movement of trains. In the dispatchers office is a suitably mounted record sheet 62 driven by a roller 63, which in turn is driven by a shaft 64. Shaft 64 receives motion through ratchet wheel 65. A pawl 68 is pivotally connected to armature 81 of electro-magnet 68, the armature being hinged at 69. When electro-magnet 68 is periodically energized, motion is given to ratchet wheel 65 by.

pawl 66. A spring 18 normally pulls armature 8"! and pawl 68 to the right when electro-magnet 68 is not energized. Electro-magnet 68 is connected by wire H to a make-and-break device 12, which make-and-break device is periodically operated by clock-work 13. This may well be of the form shown in my prior Patent No. 1,203,146, granted Oct. 21, 1916. When the make-and-break device is closed, the electro-magnet 68 is energized through the following circuit; battery 14, wire '55, electro-magnet 68, wire H, make-and-break device l'2 and wire 16 to the other side of battery 18. The make-and-break device 12 is operated, say every five seconds, so as to give a slow and uniform movement to record sheet 62 through ratchet wheel 65 and pawl 66.

The record sheet 62 is transversely divided into sections 11, i8 and 19, each section representing a block along thetrack. Longitudinally the record sheet is divided into time lines such as 1 A. M., each one of the lines representing a one minute interval. It will thus be seen that longitudinally the record sheet assumes a constantly changing position during the 24 hours of the day. Adjacent to the record sheet are located perforating magnets 88 and 8|, two for each block, controlling the armatures 82. Pivotally attached to armatures 82 are perforating needles 83, so positioned adjacent to the record sheet that when a perforating magnet is energized, a perforation is made on the record sheet.

The perforating magnet 80'is energized and makes a perforation on the record sheet every time a locomotive passes an energized control rail in approaching a siding or when the corresponding track relay for the siding is deenergized. This is because when a locomotive is passing a train control rail, current is flowing through relay 25 in the dispatchers office (as hereinafter more specifically described), thus closing front contact 84 of armature 85. When this front contact 84 is closed, a circuit is established through perforating magnet 88 as follows: battery 14, wires 86 and 81, armature 85, front contact 84, wires 88 and 89, perforating magnet 88, bus 89 and wire 90 to the other side'of battery 14. Perforating magnet 8| is intended to make a continuous record on the record sheet as long as a train is in the block or when passing a control rail, as just described. When a train is, for instance, in block D, a circuit is closed through relay 25 in the dispatchers ofiice as follows: battery 2!, bus 22, contact spring 23, switch 28, wire 24, relay 25, line wire 26, terminal 21, wires 28 and 29, armature 8 of track relay D, back contact ll, wire 92 to track rail I and thence by wire 55 to the other side of battery 2 I. When there is current through a circuit thus closed, relay 25 becomes energized, and front contact 84 is closed, thus establishing a circuit through magnet 8|, as follows: battery 14, wires 86 and 81, armature 85, front contact 84, wires 88 and 93, perforating magnet 8|, bus 94, circuit breaker 95, wires 96 and 90, to the other side of battery 14. It will be noted that the circuit through the perforating magnet 8! is taken through a circuit breaking device 95, so that this circuit is periodically broken. This circuit breaking device operates as follows: metallic contact plate 95 is attached to armature 61 and insulated therefrom. Every time the electromagnet68 is energized (which as hereinbefore stated is, say every five seconds) the circuit through wires 94 and 96 is closed through metallic plate 95. When magnet 68 is deenergized, armature 61 is pulled to the right by spring 18 and the circuit through wires 94 and 96 is broken. By reason of this periodic breaking of the train has left the block, thus recording the length of time the train remained in the block.

Perforating magnets 8| and are preferably so.

constructed that when the magnet is energized, the perforating needle is driven through the record sheet by momentum, but the perforating needle will immediately withdraw again even if the armature of the perforating needle is not released immediately. A perforating magnet of this character is shown in my prior Patent No. 1,138,804, granted May 11, 1915. In the system shown in Fig. 1, the operation of the magnets 80 and 8| may continue while the train is in two adjacent blocks, such as F'E, D-C, and BA. It will be noted that the record indicates the time that the train is in the section or its position between sidings While in the preferred form of my invention I have shown recording means to give the dispatcher knowledge of the location and progress of trains, I do not wish to be restricted to the recording means shown. Any means automatically indicating at the dispatchers office the location and progress of the trains may be considered an equivalent within the scope of my invention. For instance, the perforating magnets 80 and 8| may beindication lamps which are lighted when their respective circuits are closed; thus visibly indicating the location and progress of the trains. Or the perforating magnets 80 and BI may be any form of electrical translating devices which indicate when the circuits through them are closed; thus the position of armature 82 in itself may be visible indication to. the dispatcher of the location and progress of trains.

Fig. 3 shows a modified form of the system as shown by Fig. 1. The dispatchers office equipment and the control of signal rails are identically the same and the modification consists in introducing insulating joints 3 in both track rails and 2, thus creating what is known as a double rail track circuit. The electrically continuous track rail I as shown in Fig. 1 now being separated into blocks by insulating joints, a common return wire 91 is substituted to connect with battery 2| at the-dispatchers office. Track rail in each block is connected through a resistance 98 with common return wire 91. The purpose of the resistance coil is to prevent current from the track batteries of one block flowing into another block. It will thus be seen that by substituting a common return wire for the electrically continuous track rail I double rail track circuits may be used instead of single rail track circuits in the system hereinbefore described;

It will be understood that since the current transmitted to the ramp rails passes to the cab carried signal apparatus when and at the place that the train passes such ramp rails, and since the cab signals reflect the electrical condition of the ramp rails, the latter constitute signal stations.

Although I have particularly described and illustrated one preferred physical embodiment of my invention and explained the principle and construction thereof, nevertheless I desire to have it understood that the form selected is merely illustrative, but does not exhaust the possible physical embodiment of the idea of means underlying my invention. For instance, fixed signals along the trackway may be substituted for or added to cab-signals shown herein; each as are shown in my Patent No. 1,564,144, dated Decemher 1, 1925, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. When such fixed signals are added to or substituted for the ramp rails they also may be considered to be signal stations in the sense that that term is used in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway system for two direction operation, a trackway having passing siding sections at intervals therealong and stretches of single track between the passing siding sections, the passing siding sections having track switches at the ends thereof, each passing siding section having a signal station at each end thereof for controlling the movement of trains from the passing siding into the adjacent single track stretches, each of said passing siding sections having a signal station at the end of each single track stretch adjacent the passing siding section for controlling office current impressed thereon and being at danger in the absence of such current, a dispatchers office and a line wire therefrom to each passing siding section and having a connection to each signal station of said section, the dispatchers office having a source of electrical energy and a control lever for each passing siding section movable to connect the line wire therefor to said source, and means effective when a track switch at one end of a passing siding section is open for disrupting the connection of the line wire to the signal station which controls the entrance of trains into said end of said section.

2. In a railway system for two direction operation, a trackway having passing siding sections at intervals therealong and stretches of single track between the passing siding sections, the passing siding sections having track switches at the ends thereof, a vehicle on the trackway having cab signal apparatus for displaying a clear signal when the vehicle passes an electrically energized ramp rail and a danger signal when the vehicle passes a non-energized ramp rail, each passing siding section having a ramp rail for each direction of movement for controlling the movement of the vehicle from the passing siding into the adjacent single track stretches, each of said passing siding sections having a ramp rail along each adjacent single track stretch for controlling the movement of a train from the stretch of single track into the passing siding section, a dispatchers office and a line wire therefrom to each passing siding section and having a connection to each of said ramp rails of said section, the dispatchers office having a source of electrical energy and a control lever for each passing siding section movable to connect the line wire therefor to said source, and means effective when a track switch at one end of a passing siding section is open for disrupting the connection of the line wire to the ramp rail for entering movement into said end of said section.

3. In a railway system, a trackway having passing siding sections having track switches at the ends thereof and being separated by stretches of single track,; each passing siding section having entering and leaving signal stations for one direction of train operation and entering and leaving signals for the opposite direction of train operation, a dispatchers oflice and a source of electrical energy therefor, means including a line Wire from the dispatchers office to each of said passing siding sections for applying electrical energy from said source to the signal stations of each section for effecting a proceed indication by the signal stations, track circuit means for disrupting the application of electrical energy from said source to a signal station when the section or single track stretch next in advance thereof is occupied to effect a more restrictive signal indication of the signal station, and meanseffective when a track switch at one end of a section is open for disrupting the application of electrical energy from said source to the signal station controlling entrance to said end of the section.

4. In a railway system, a trackway having passing siding sections having track switches at the ends thereof and being separated by stretches of single track, each passing siding section having entering and leaving signal stations for one direction of train operation and entering and leaving signals for the opposite direction of train operation, a dispatchers oflice and a source of electrical energy therefor, means including a line Wire from the dispatchers office to each of said passing siding sections for applying electrical energy from said source to the signal stations of each section for eifecting a proceed indication by the signal stations, and means effective when a track switch at one end of a section is open for disrupting application of electrical energy from said source to a signal station controlling entrance to said end of the section.

PAUL J. SIMMEN. 

